A STRANGE STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2119, 6 February 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

A STRANGE STORY.

Mr E. C. Gri:xvillk Mcrray, in "Side Lights on English Society," tells the following story about a lady at Brighton :—: — The reason why people fought shy of the gracefuf feline, Mrs Fox, was that, although she was not more than twentyeight years of age, she had had three husbands, all of whom had died with mysterious suddenness. The three deaths had brought her three fortunes, and the young widow was mightily rich in consequence ; but at Brighton, where she mostly resided, peoplo whispered of poison, and nicknamed her " Lucrezia Borgia." Toxicologists hold it as an axiom, demonstrated by universal experience, that when a person has once administered poison with impunity, the temptation to do so again and again becomes irresistible. A little kuowkdge concerning tho action of tho drugs, a little prudence m npanrtioning the do*e, a little judjfineut in selecting the time, a patiently affectionate behaviour towards tho victim, and the risks incuned are almost nil. The poisoners who come to trouble are the novices in the art, or those who, grown reckless by reppared siißce-ses, ceglect the precaution which tarried them safely through i revious experiments. Of course, if a wifo flavours her husband's soup with a whole half pound of ratsbane, bought at the nearest chemist's, she must expect that the coroner will enquire iuto the matter. So must the wife who prefaces her drugging with a series of violent domestic scenes, wherein she calls her iieighnours to witness that she is married to a bruto, and wishes herself well rid of him. But there are no coroner's juries abroad, whereas numerous popular resorts for invalids exist, where a man's rapid death would excite no manner of surprise. How suspeot the loving and tearful young wifs who brings her already ailing husband to drink the waters of Phaspbore-le-Bains, and seems so miserably affected by his condition ? The pair have brought servants with them, and put up at the best hotel, where they pay generously, One of the local doctors i.s called in, and feed on a scale quite magnificent, according to his French notions. He prescribes the waters of the place. The patient takes them, and in one day he dies. But what of that ? Phosphore-le-Bains is accustomed to see its broken-down visitors die off like flies ; when the doctor has received a valedictory 1000 franc note in acknowledgment of his precious services, he would be an unmanly churl if he demanded a post mortem, or refused to sign a certificate stating that the patient had succumbed to natural causes. Indeed, if this doctor committed the mistake of hinting at foul play, without positive proof, it might cost him his practice. Certainly the hotel-keepers who recommended him would never forgive his having drawn a scandal upon their house, and even the local authorities would frown upon him for trying to scare away visitors from their town. As the French custom is to bury within forty-eight hours after death, the deceased stranger is soon laid in the local graveyard, and there is an end of him. His sorrowing widow lingers a fortnight in the place, to pay for a handsome tombstone ; she discharges her hotel bill, thanks the attendants of the deceased for their sympathy, and then vanishes, leaving no address, but only the reputation of an excellent, open-handed person. This is what the gossipers of the Brightton Club used to say to one anothor, as they watched the pretty but suspicious Mrs Fox driving up and down the Rings-road in her smart pony-chaise, drawn by a pair of fri3ky greys. She held the reins herself ; a boy groom sat behind, and by her side figured a toothless servile old dame, who was her inseparable companion. Together the pair used to show themselves on the West Pier, at the Aquarium, at the Pavilion on Saturdays, when the Garrison Band played, they had sittings at the Ritualist Church, and lived in a showy house on the Marine Parade, where no ladies were ever seen to call. This isolation was, however, due rather to the circumstance that Mrs Fox took no steps to cultivate acquaintances among her own sex; for, had she done so, not a doubt but her drawing-room would have been au well frequented aa

that of any other wealthy young widow. Ladies would hardly have been deterred from calling on Mrs Fox by a rumour which rested upon not so much as a tittle of authenticated fact. Probably her nickname owed its origin to the joke of some disappointed suitor ; but, like many other jokes circulated in fun or \iudictive malice, it "took" famously, and during a whole Brighton season was so pitilessly thrust at all suspected anglers after the young widow's fortune, that Mrs Fox remained, to all matrimonial intents, as completely shunned as if she bad been a leper. Mrs Fox had never belonged to the innermost circle of good Society ; but she was of excellent middle-class rank, well educated, and a capital pianist. Her complexion was pale, her hair dark ; her eyes were keen, and could shoot killing glances. There was in her compact little figure a litheness which suggested the activity of a cat ; while the mobile expression of her eyebrows, and her quick nervous way of laughing, were evidences of a temper which would be sure to make her obtain the mastery in any household where the titular head was not a man of exceptionally iron make. Mrs Fox occasionally alluded, and in feeling terms, to her last husband, but never to the first two ; on the whole, she was a person of remarkable attractiveness, and never failed to impresss male listeners with the idea that she would make a first-rate wife, and be an ornament to an affectionate husband's home. A good-looking and much indebted officer of the Hussar regiment in garrison determined to biave the prejudice that was assailing this widow with such a cowardly stupidity, as he called it, and proceeded to pay his court to the lady ; but he instantly became the butt of ferocious pleasantries. Some of his brother officers who could draw papered the mess-room with sketches descriptive of Captain Doughty passing through the progressive agonies of slow poison. There was " Captain Doughty finding a queer taste in the sherry ;" " Captain Doughty writhing on the hearthrug, with a hand on the pit of his waistcoat and his eyeballs starting from their sockets," "Captain Doughty havitig a conjugal tiff with Mrs Doughty, ami being cautioned by her in the well-known words hurled by Lucrezia Borgia at the Duke of Ferrara : ' Guarda a voi, il mio quarto marito !'" (Mind what you are about, my fourth husLaml). If C.iptiiu Doughty had lived in a duelling country he might have stopped this persecution by challenges ; but n Biitish officer has no remedy against chaff but grinning and bearing it, or else removing the causes which gave it rise. Thii is what Captain Doughty did. He feahcd to court the seductive widow, and bore with whaD facp ho could the crowning piece of facetiousness of hit friends, which consisted in wringing his hands with silent forcp, and exclaiming, '• Thank Heaven, old fellow !'' ju^t as if he had been rescued from inevitable ond riolent death. Mrs Fox's next wooer was a young solicitor, who would have be< n very gkd of her money to snt up in business with ; but ono day he received, by post, a copy of Alexandra Dumai' M<irqui.-e de Brmvilliorg, with a photograph of his innamorata pasted on the fly-leaf ; and when, haviug made inquiries, he leirned what rumours hid dicU»ed this delightful warning, ho fled in honor, never to return. A merchant and a naval captain weie successively scared off by similar pranks, and all this while Mrs Fox, being, ignorant of the things bruited against her, could not, for tho life of her, understand what made all her lovers act with such inconceivable flippancy and lack of manners. The present writer becime acquainted with Mrs Fo<c about a foitii'ght before the catastrophe which opened his eyes. It was a cruel joke that was played upon her, and proved oncu again what little i consideration women have to expect from the other sex wheu they are not protected by the strong arm of a male champion, or failing that, by a blameless reputation, A masked ball, in aid of some charitable object, was given at the Pavilion, and Mis Fox, who dul not generally attend balls, went there under cover of a domino, and of a laced mask, which effectually concealed her features. Her companion attended her, and the pair did not mix in the dances, but moved about, watching the fancy dresses aud enjoying the musi'i. They hud been thus harmlessly disporting themselves dutiug tin hour, when one of those ruffians, who are to be found in Mjfh ranks as well as low, strode through the hall in the guise of a policeman, and with his physiognomy travestied but not masked He was evideutly in search of Mrs Fox, and must have detected her by the ungainly j figure of her companion ; for, upon espying the two women in the Chine«o Room, ho marched straight up to them, and, laying ft hand roughly on Mrs Fox's shoulder, thrust a paper before her eyes. What was written on this paper was never ascertained, but the unfortunate widow uttered a piercing shriek and swooned on the floor The pspudo - policeman beat a hasty retreat, and his victim had to be carried into a retiring room, whence, after a second fainting fit, which left her as weak as water, she was sent home in her carriage. She never showed herself in public again ; but within a week sold her furniture and ponies, and for ever quitted Brighton, leaving no clue to her next destination. The brutal joker did not reveal his identity j but the details of his freak transpired, and were variously commented on, most men beins; of opinion that there must have been a grain of truth in the accusations, which else said they, would never have struck such (1 n roots. Possibly, however, Mrs Fos was simply a widow whose misforti .•. rather than whose fault, it had be. i to lose three husbands in countries where there were no coroners and noinjuisitive penny papers to harry her with i.npertinent questions.

It is held to be very lucky to own a horse whose forelegs are both equally " white-stockinged" ; but if one fore and one hind leg on the samo side are white, It is unlucky. It is deemed unlucky when one leg only of the four is *• whitestocked"; but, if opposite legs, as off fore and near hind are white, it is considered very lucky. A versified set of instructions on buying white-footed horses runs thus: —"One white foot—buy a horse. Two white feet—try a horse. Three white feet —look well about him. Four white feet —do without him.

The Stokt of a Nightcap. — Dr. Burney, who wrote the celebrated anagram on Lord Nelson after his viotory of the Nile—" Honor est a Nilo" (Horatio Nelson)—was shortly afterwards on a visit to his lordship. He had omitted to provide himself with a nightcap, and borrowed one from his host. As bis custom was, he sat down to study before retiring to rest, and was shortly afterwards alarmed by his nightcap catching fire from his candle. He collected the burnt remains, and returned them to Lord Nelson with the following lines: — " Take your nightcap again, my goed lord, I desire— I* would not detain it a minute. What belongs to a Nelson, wherever there's fire, !■ sure to be instantly in it,"